


What an Honor. What an Injustice.

by LyraXieryn



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers Spoilers, Gen, Patch 5.3: Reflections in Crystal Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:14:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28850418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LyraXieryn/pseuds/LyraXieryn
Summary: Small blurb inspired by an incorrect quotes blog:Elidibus to WoL: Hydaelyn should have protected you, but you have been asked to protect her.Elidibus: What an honor.Elidibus: What an injustice.( https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/totallycorrectffxivquotes/search/Elidibus )
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	What an Honor. What an Injustice.

**And as it began, it was over.  
  
**The Warrior of Darkness stood, towering over the small child before them, the once magnificent Warrior of Light that had protected this realm, and many others throughout the epochs of time. Ever since they had become the Eldest Primal Zodiark's Heart. Scattered gemstones lie at the child's feet, with the signs of the zodiac shimmering, sparkling like the stars above. 

Elidibus gazed up at the Warrior of Light turned to Darkness when they restored night to the realm. They sighed, looking at the gems, as faded memories resurfaced, silently. Their shoulders shook, tears that wouldn't come trapped behind the red mask they wore since time immemorial. **"Hydaelyn... Should have protected you, but you have been asked to protect her." Their voice quivered, "What an honor." Their fists clenched, "What an injustice."**  
  
The Warrior of Darkness knelt, features obscured by the falling of night, "And one could say the same to you, my friend." Their voice was gentle, tired. "Asked to protect your people as the Heart of Zodiark... Only for Zodiark and Hydaelyn both to take the lives of the people they were meant to save."  
  
**"It's not fair."**  
  
The weary Warrior sat across from the child, "It never has been. We've always been asked too much. To go too far. To save too many, be it with our lives, or our hopes and dreams, or our everything. You and yours spent eons trying to bring back a world that could never return. Not when the price to save it initially was so high with the creation of Zodiark." They looked to the sky, weapon somewhere off to the side on the top of the Crystal Tower.   
  
**"Don't... Don't let me die alone."**  
  
In that moment, Elidibus sounded like the child they were, the young, hopeful being that wanted to save friends, family, and so many more.  
  
The Warrior nodded, and sat closer to the being, side by side, watching the stars shine in the night sky. 

The two sat for a time, as Elidibus was slowly dissolving, their aether being trapped by the Tower. They had activated the Tower's abilities, thinking it would aid them, rather than inevitably lead to their downfall. They had failed to sift through the stolen memories to their fullest, and fallen into a trap. And now, they were paying for it, slowly.

"You never should have been asked to become Zodiark, to protect your people. It's not your fault."

The statement may have been a lie, that it wasn't their fault. But there was an ancient child dying, and what could the Warrior of Darkness do? The mythical figure that had so long eluded the First was a figure of comfort, that brought peace to those tormented by Light. And what was the Heart of Zodiark, but another entity tortured by eternal Light?

"Tempering is nasty business, you know."

They continued, not letting Elidibus argue with them. Why spend their last minutes arguing?

"Twists every last drop of potential into something else." Vauthry was another tormented by Light, physically in a constant transformation into a Sin Eater, for twenty plus years. The kind of physical and mental agony that had to have been must have been the stuff of unthinkable nightmares. Nobody had been afraid of Vauthry before recent events had transpired- even Dulia Chai, she had tried to soothe him during a rage. Whether that was the work of tempering, or his lack of being a complete monster, nobody could say at this point in time. After all, Vauthry was gone, and Eulmore was undergoing renovations to become an ally to the rest of Norvrandt once again.

Elidibus sighed, running the various stones through their fingers, slowly rubbing each and every one, as if trying to memorize the patterns engraved into them.  
  
**"What will you do if you spend eons like me, protecting Hydaelyn while your memories rot away?"**

The Warrior had been expecting that question, but didn't have a prepared answer.  
  
"I suppose... It won't matter. I won't remember any plan I make, or that we had this conversation. Just that the Light must be protected and held dear, and damn the rest of them."

There was silence for a bit, Elidibus slowly fading away. 

**"I don't want to die."**

Sobs wracked the smaller frame of Elidibus.

The Warrior could only sigh, and put a firm, gentle hand near where a shoulder was supposed to be.

"Such is the way of things, but... With your soul returning to the Lifestream, maybe you'll see your loved ones again. Sure, maybe not your whole soul, with the aether being trapped in the tower, but... Enough that you should be able to find peace. To rest. Maybe one day, I'll see you at Starlight, and throw a snowball at your face, mm?"

It was immature. But it was the sort of thing kids took delight in. The Warrior had seen the Amaurotines- they were giants, and Elidibus was smaller than them. There was no mistaking a child of the Ancients. 

"Maybe tell me your name, so I can keep an eye out?"

A small smile was offered, but it was the best they could do for Elidibus. They weren't so different, just opposite sides of a coin. One day, this could be the Warrior and another hero putting them out of the fight, permanently. 

**"My name--"**

Elidibus was cut off, as memories surged forth with greater force.

The Warrior closed their eyes.

"We will meet again, Elidibus. At the end of things."

Elidibus spoke, recounting their own Final Days. They looked to the skies, taking in one last look at the stars above.

**"The rains have ceased, and we have been graced with another beautiful day. But you are not here to see it."**

Elidibus disappeared, their time as the Heart of Zodiark, as the Warrior of Light over. 


End file.
